This article discusses "My UniSpace", an innovative project which involves undergraduate students in a British university mentoring online pupils aged 14-18 who are studying languages. The project was funded by Routes into Languages, an initiative aimed at increasing take-up in modern languages. "My UniSpace" offers pupils…

Young modern language (ML) learners' heightened, yet temporary, phonological sensitivity suggests an aptitude for spoken communication with peer native target language (TL) speakers. Opportunities for this can be achieved through videoconferencing (VC). As researcher and specialist teacher at a primary school in England, I undertook a study of VC…

Older students (aged 65+) in the language classroom may be presenting hearing deficits not experienced by their traditional university classmates (aged 18-24). L2 teachers need to be aware of the main processes involved in hearing, as well as such important factors as the temporary threshold effect and masking effects, in order to encourage…

This article considers the role of language learners in the global society and the extent to which interaction between different language communities can be regarded as possible without intercultural competence. It moves on to review the skills and competencies that can be taught to undergraduates in an attempt to enable them to engage more…

Argues that pupils in the second language classroom should be encouraged to respond to questions for personal information truthfully and that certain aspects of existing teaching practice encouraging the opposite should be scrutinized. Focuses on the objections to this premise and outlines reasons for seeking truthful student responses. (CK)

This article argues that drama is an under-exploited resource in the foreign language classroom for promoting intercultural competence and developing an awareness of the interpersonal dimension embedded in the language we use. Drama also offers ample opportunities to explore nuances of the foreign culture as well as conflict situations and…

Describes a secondary school's successful curriculum project. The project linked the Modern Languages and Design Technology departments as part of a German Exchange visit program. This exchange enabled participating teachers to explore new curriculum ideas and provided a curriculum-enriching experience to the participating students. (three…

In the following article the author presents a methodological framework for the teaching of intercomprehension. Competence in intercomprehension is seen as a realisation of the general human faculty for using and understanding language, which includes the ability to comprehend texts and utterances in "unfamiliar" languages. This competence can be…

There has been much reflection recently on how language gets used in language classrooms, by language learners and by language teachers. Rather than the perennial debate about target-language use, the author is referring to the growing body of classroom research in the area of linguistics known as pragmatics. Pragmatics, as defined by Crystal…

Describes an experiment in the United Kingdom that brought together GCSE modern languages examination candidates and preservice language teachers via video conferencing, thus providing both groups with more practice in oral language. The article suggests that the use of video conferencing may be beneficial to all parties concerned, given the…